Bitter Victory (1957)

A pair of British Army officers, a Captain (Richard Burton) and a Major (Curt Jurgens) are assigned to execute a daring commando raid on the Libyan stronghold of General Rommel. Even before the mission begins, there is tension between the two men that is exacerbated by the fact that the wife (Ruth Roman) of the Major is the ex-lover of the Captain. Based on the novel by Rene Hardy and directed by Nicholas Ray (JOHNNY GUITAR). Essentially a French production, I would call the film an interesting failure. It's not the most pleasant movie to sit through and it often seemed pointless. I'm a huge fan of Nicholas Ray but what I assume was intended as an anti war film meanders too much to get its message across. I did like the "bitter victory" of the film's ending which was cut from the British release which is shorter by 12 minutes. Burton seems to be walking through his part but Jurgens brings an unsettling ambiguity to his Major, we're never quite sure what his motives are. As his wife, Ruth Roman brings some surprising depth to an underwritten role. I liked the look of the B&W CinemaScope cinematography of Michel Kelber (FRENCH CANCAN). With Christopher Lee, Raymond Pellegrin, Nigel Green and Anthony Bushell.